Long March Postponed Till May 20 After Government Assures No Action Against Seminaries: Maulana Abdul Wasay

Quetta: Maulana Abdul Wasay, provincial chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan, has said that the party has postponed its planned long march till May 20 after receiving assurances from the government regarding seminaries.
Addressing a press conference in Quetta, he said that the party adopted a strong stance over the alleged closure of religious seminaries and staged protests both inside and outside the assembly.
He said that due to the protests, the government was compelled to initiate contact through ministers, and later a high-level delegation led by the Chief Minister visited them and assured that no action would be taken against religious seminaries.
Maulana Abdul Wasay stated that the government also apologized for the arrest and harassment of religious scholars and officials during earlier operations against seminaries, and assured that no further action would be taken.
He added that the Chief Minister requested a 10-day postponement of the long march scheduled for May 10. “Respecting local traditions and in view of the request, we have postponed the march until May 20,” he said.
The JUI leader said that a decision regarding continuation or suspension of the boycott of government events would be taken after consultation with party leadership and announced later.
He thanked party workers, traders, and supporters for their participation in the protest movement, saying they had demonstrated unity in defending religious seminaries, which he described as “fortresses of Islam.”
He warned that if needed, the party would continue protests in the future as well, but the current decision was taken in light of government assurances and dialogue.